Academic Catalog

Group Requirements (Inquiry Courses)

Inquiry groups include:

Inquiry courses are designed to help introduce students to the different perspectives, methodologies, and questions that shape the production of knowledge. As suggested by the title, in these courses students will learn how scholars think in different disciplines, and they will also begin to engage in inquiry themselves, using diverse disciplinary methodologies to ask questions, analyze data, and make their own evidence-based arguments.

Through courses that fulfill Inquiry requirements, students will:

  1. Gain exposure to different disciplinary ways of understanding the world.
  2. Develop basic competencies in these disciplinary methodologies.
  3. Apply disciplinary methodologies to analyze relevant data or examples.

There are three primary categories of Inquiry. They include Social Inquiry, Cultural Inquiry, and Natural Scientific Inquiry. In addition to these categories, there are three additional cross-inquiry categories: Civic Literacy, Global Learning, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Cross-Inquiry courses are specially-designated courses that provide focus on themes that may cut across the primary Inquiry categories, therefore all cross-inquiry courses could be conceivably be found in a primary inquiry category. For example, one could imagine a course focused on Global Learning outcomes from the perspective of the social sciences and/or the arts and humanities. 

Each student must complete a minimum of seven courses of at least 3 credits each from the following Inquiry groups, with at least two courses from the Natural Science Inquiry (NSI), one with a lab section, and one course from the remaining Inquiry groups, all of which are listed below.

NOTE: Schools and colleges may also have specific requirements, such that careful course selection can lead to meeting both General Education and college requirements. Please consult the College/School listing for specific requirements.

Civic Literacy Inquiry (CIV)

Civic literacy is a critical component of preparing students to contribute to local, national, and international communities. Inquiry into civic literacy entails asking questions about the relationship of the individual with the public sphere. This inquiry will provide students with foundational knowledge about the diversity of interests in American society over time, both domestic and abroad, especially those pertaining to race, ethnicity, and gender; the mechanisms by which individuals and groups have pursued their interests; and the role of institutions in addressing conflict. Students completing the course will apply the knowledge, concepts, and critical thinking skills from the course to make well-reasoned, informed, and ethical political decisions. 

CIV has five program learning outcomes.

After successful completion of the CIV requirement, each student will be able to:

  1. Exhibit knowledge of U.S. history, political institutions, and democratic principles.
  2. Explain the meaning and significance of citizenship and national identity, past and present.
  3. Explain forms of participation by individuals and groups.
  4. Explain the economic, historic, political, and social bases for conflict and cooperation between groups.
  5. Explain the economic, historic, political, and social marginalization of groups in civic life.
AFS 2210Black Social and Political Thought4
AFS 3250Politics and Culture in Anglophone Caribbean3
CRJ/PS 3120Politics of the Criminal Justice Process3
ELR/ANT/HIS/PS 1110Work and Democracy: An Introduction3
HIS 1050History of the Headlines: United States Since World War II3
HIS 1060Law, Citizenship, and American Culture3
HIS 2040American Foundations to 18773-4
HIS 2050Modern America: Since 18773-4
PS 1000Introduction to Political Science3
HON 1000The City: Changing Detroit4
PS 1010American Government4
PS 1030The American Governmental System3
PS 1100Changing Detroit4
PS 3080Gender and Politics4

Cultural Inquiry (CI)

CI has three program learning outcomes.

After successful completion of the CI requirement, each student will be able to:

  1. Explain basic concepts in artistic or humanistic analysis..
  2. Analyze an artistic practice, cultural form, artifact, or philosophical idea.
  3. Compare artistic practices, cultural forms, artifacts or philosophical ideas.
AED 5050Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Classroom3
AFS 2010African American Culture4
AFS/LAS 2250AfroLatino/a History and Culture3
AH 1000Introduction to Art3
AH 1110Survey of Art History: Ancient through Medieval3-4
AH 1120Survey of Art History: Renaissance through Modern3-4
AH 1130Encounters with the Arts of Global Africa3
ANT 2400Food and Culture3
ANT 2500Archaeology of the Great Lakes3
ANT 3100World Cultures3
ANT 3220The Inca and their Ancestors3
ASE 2050Deaf Culture3
ASN/JPN 2800Culture Studies in Japan (Homestay and Study Abroad Tour)3
CHI 2050Gateway to Chinese Civilizations3
CHI 3000Chinese Mythology and the Supernatural3
CHI 3022Introduction to Chinese Literature3
CLA 1010Classical Civilization3-4
CLA 2000Greek Mythology3-4
CLA 2200Introduction to Greek Tragedy3-4
CLA 2300Ancient Comedy3
CLA 3720Greek Identity from Antiquity to Modernity3
COM 2010/ENG 2450Introduction to Film4
COM 2020History of Film3
COM 2160Campaigns and Social Movements3
DNC 2000Introduction to World Dance3
DNC 2310History of Dance from 1800 to the Present3
ENG 2420Environmental Writing: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2560Children’s and Young Adults' Literature: Writing about Texts3
ENG/GSW 2570Women Writers: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2200Shakespeare: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2250British Literature: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2350American Literature: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2415Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2425Rhetoric and Social Change: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2430Digital Literacies: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2440Introduction to Visual Culture: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2445Comics and Graphic Novels: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2450Introduction to Film4
ENG 2470Television Culture: Writing about Texts4
ENG 2500Literature and Religion: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2510Popular Culture: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2720Basic Concepts in Linguistics3
ENG 2800Foundations of Creative Writing3
ENG 3210Public Humanities3
FRE/GER/ITA/SPA 2700Anguish and Commitment: European Existentialist Literature3-4
FRE/GER 2991Understanding the Fairy Tale3
GER 2310Short Fiction from Central Europe and Russia3
GER 2710Resistance, Rebellion, Revolution: Transitional Moments in German Culture and History3
GLS 2700Introduction to Global Stories3
GSW/PHI 2360Feminist Philosophy3
GSW 2500Humanities Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Women3
HIS 1800/NE 2030The Age of Islamic Empires: 600-16003
HIS 1810/NE 2040The Modern Middle East3
HON 2000Foundation Seminar3
HON 4200Seminar in Philosophy and Letters3
ITA 2710Italy and Italians I3
ITA 2720Italy and Italians II3
ITA 2991Italian Fairy Tales3
ITA/NFS 3300Science, History, and Culture of Italian Cuisine3
JPN 2720Japanese Culture through Myth, Fairy Tales, and Media3
LAS 2100/SPA 2400Chicano/a Literature and Culture3
LAS 2110/SPA 2500Puerto Rican Literature and Culture3
LIN 2720Basic Concepts in Linguistics3
MUH 1340Music Appreciation: World Music3
MUH 1345Music Cultures3
MUH 1350History of American Popular Music3
MUH 1351History and Styles of Rock and Roll3
MUH 1370Music Appreciation: Beginnings to the Present3
MUH 3380American Music3
MUH 5340Survey of World Music3
NE 2010The Bible and Ancient Mythology3
NE 2060Trends and Themes in Films of the Middle East3
PHI 1010Introduction to Philosophy3
PHI 1020Honors Introduction to Philosophy3-4
PHI 1100Contemporary Moral Issues3
PHI 1110Ethical Issues in Health Care3
PHI 1120Professional Ethics3
PHI 1130Environmental Ethics3
PHI 1150AI and Data Ethics3
PHI 1200Life and Death3
PHI 1500Race, Sex, and Religion3
PHI 2100Ancient Greek Philosophy3
PHI 2110Philosophy of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment3
PHI 2140Ancient Greek Medicine and Psychology3
PHI 2320Introduction to Ethics3
PHI 2400Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion3
PHI 2550Introduction to Philosophy of Science3
PHI/PSY 2650Minds and Machines3
PHI 3500Theory of Knowledge3
PHI 3550Metaphysics3
PHI 3700Philosophy of Art3
POL 2710Survey of Polish Culture3
POL/SLA 3750Polish and Yugoslavian Cinema3
PS 3520Theories of Justice4
RUS 2710Introduction to Russian Culture3
RUS 2991Understanding the Fairy Tale3
RUS 3600Nineteenth Century Russian Literature3
RUS 3650Russian Literature Since 19003
SLA 2310Short Fiction from Central Europe and Russia3
SLA 3710Russian and East European Film3-4
THR 1010Introduction to the Theatre3
THR 1041Musical Theatre Appreciation3

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Inquiry (DEI)

DEI has four program learning outcomes, which focus on the U.S as their primary context:

After successful completion of the DEI requirement, each student will be able to:

  1. Explain current diversity, equity, or inclusion issues within the context of U.S. history, institutions, practices, or policies.
  2. Explain how cultural values and prejudices influence individual or group behavior.
  3. Explain the ethical and moral issues related to diversity, equity, or inclusion present in complex domestic (U.S.) situations.
  4. Explain strategies that promote diversity, equity, or inclusion at the local or national level.

*Please note, revised DEI Learning Outcomes were approved on 3/24/2023. Previous versions are available in archived editions of the bulletin.

AFS 1010Introduction to African American Studies3
AFS 2010African American Culture4
AFS 2210Black Social and Political Thought4
AFS/HIS/US 2350Black Detroit3
AFS/ENG 2390Introduction to African-American Literature: Writing about Texts3
AFS/SOC 2600Race and Racism in America3
AFS/HIS 3140African American History I: 1400-18653-4
AFS/HIS 3150African American History II: 1865-19683-4
AFS/HIS 3155African American History III: 1968 - Present3-4
AFS/HIS 3160Black Urban History4
AFS/HIS 3170Ethnicity and Race in American Life3-4
AFS/HIS 3180Black Social Movements4
AH 3750African American Art3
ANT 1100Introduction to Anthropology3
ANT 2020Global Detroit3
ANT/GLS/POL/RUS 3111Digital Storytelling and Ethnic Detroit3
ANT 3400Introduction to Medical Anthropology3
ANT 3520Understanding Africa: Past, Present and Future3
ANT 3530Native Americans3
ANT/LAS 3540Cultures and Societies of Latin America3
ANT/NE 3550Arab Society in Transition3
ANT 3560World's Religions3
APH 5860Social Documentary: Community, Compassion, and Activism3
ARM/GER/POL/RUS/SLA 3410New Soil, Old Roots: The Immigrant Experience3
BA 1040Managing Diversity in the Workplace3
COM 2300Intercultural Communication3
CRJ 2550Race, Crime and Justice3
CRJ/GSW 2650Gender and Crime3
CRJ/GSW 2750Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice3
ENG 2530Queer Literatures: Writing about Texts3
ENG/GSW 2570Women Writers: Writing about Texts3
GLS 2900Intercultural Competence for a Global World3
GSW/PHI 2360Feminist Philosophy3
GSW 2500Humanities Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Women3
GSW 2600/HIS 2605History of Women, Gender and Sexuality in the Modern World3
GSW 2700Social Science Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Women3
HIS/LAS 1910Latin America from Independence to the Present3
HIS/LAS 2430History of Latino/as in the United States3
HIS 2530/PCS 2050/PS 2550/SOC 2050The Study of Non-Violence3
HIS 3240/PS 3250Detroit Politics: Continuity and Change in City and Suburbs4
HIS/US 3650History of Detroit3
HON 1000The City: Changing Detroit4
LAS 1420Introduction to Interdisciplinary Latino/a Studies Research3
LAS 2100/SPA 2400Chicano/a Literature and Culture3
LAS 2110/SPA 2500Puerto Rican Literature and Culture3
LAS/HIS 2420History of Puerto Rico and Cuba3
MUH 1350History of American Popular Music3
MUH 1351History and Styles of Rock and Roll3
MUH 2210African American Music History: A Detroit Perspective3
MUH 3360Jazz History3
PH 2500Race and Ethnic Disparities in Public Health3
PHI 1100Contemporary Moral Issues3
PHI 1110Ethical Issues in Health Care3
PHI 1500Race, Sex, and Religion3
PS 1100Changing Detroit4
SAM 3020Sociology of Sport3
SOC 1020Social Problems3
SOC 2202Gendered Worlds3
SOC 2300Social Inequality3
SW 1010Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare3
THR 1030Introduction to Black Theatre and Performance3
THR 5821Black Dramatic Literature and Performance3
US/GPH/HIS/PS 2000/SOC 2500Introduction to Urban Studies4

Global Learning Inquiry (GL)

GL has three program learning outcomes.

After successful completion of the GL requirement, each student will be able to:

  1. Analyze social, economic, cultural and/or political phenomena in past or present global context. 
  2. Explain how worldviews are shaped by differing historical, scientific, and/or cultural contexts.  
  3. Compare their worldview to those in communities outside of the US. 
AFS 3250Politics and Culture in Anglophone Caribbean3
AFS 3420/PS 3820Pan Africanism: Politics of the Black Diaspora4
AFS 3610Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Foreign Culture: The Africans4
AH 1130Encounters with the Arts of Global Africa3
AH 3470Islamic Art and Architecture3
ANT 2050Anthropology of Business3
ANT 2400Food and Culture3
ANT 3100World Cultures3
ANT/GLS/PH 3410Global Health3
ANT 3520Understanding Africa: Past, Present and Future3
ANT/LAS 3540Cultures and Societies of Latin America3
ANT 3550Arab Society in Transition3
ANT 3560World's Religions3
ANT/GLS 3700Globalization: Theories, Practices, Implications3
ARB 2010Intermediate Arabic I4
ARM/GER/POL/RUS/SLA 3410New Soil, Old Roots: The Immigrant Experience3
ASN/HIS 1710History of Modern East Asia3
CHI 2010Intermediate Chinese4
CHI 2050Gateway to Chinese Civilizations3
CRJ 3900Comparative Criminal Justice3
DNC 2000Introduction to World Dance3
DNC 2400Introduction to African Dance3
ENG 2415Geopolitics and Literature: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2540Global Literatures: Writing about Texts3
ENG 2670Introduction to Canadian Studies3
ENG 2730Languages of the World3
FRE 2010Intermediate French4
FRE 2710Introduction to French Civilization I3
FRE 2720Introduction to French Civilization II3
GER 2010Intermediate German4
GER 2710Resistance, Rebellion, Revolution: Transitional Moments in German Culture and History3
GKA 2010Intermediate Ancient Greek I4
GKM 2010Intermediate Modern Greek I4
GKM 3710Modern Greek Literature and Culture in English3-4
GLS 2700Introduction to Global Stories3
GLS/HIS 2800Introduction to Global Issues and Institutions3
GLS 2900Intercultural Competence for a Global World3
GPH 1100World Regional Patterns4
GPH/HIS/PS 2700Introduction to Canadian Studies3
GPH 3130Introductory Urban Geography4
GSW 2600/HIS 2605History of Women, Gender and Sexuality in the Modern World3
HEB 2010Intermediate Hebrew I4
HIS 1000World Civilization to 15004
HIS 1400The World Since 19454
HIS 1610African Civilizations Since 18003-4
HIS 1800/NE 2030The Age of Islamic Empires: 600-16003
HIS 1810/NE 2040The Modern Middle East3
HIS/LAS 1910Latin America from Independence to the Present3
HIS 2440/LAS 2410History of Mexico3
HON 4260Seminar in Foreign Culture3
ITA 2010Intermediate Italian4
ITA 2710Italy and Italians I3
ITA 2720Italy and Italians II3
ITA 2991Italian Fairy Tales3
JPN 2010Intermediate Japanese I4
JPN 2720Japanese Culture through Myth, Fairy Tales, and Media3
JPN 4550Japanese Culture and Society I4
JPN 4560Japanese Culture and Society II4
LAS 2100/SPA 2400Chicano/a Literature and Culture3
LAS/HIS 2420History of Puerto Rico and Cuba3
LAT 2010Intermediate Latin4
LIN 2730Languages of the World3
LAS/HIS 3431Revolutionary Movements in Latin America3
MUH 1340Music Appreciation: World Music3
MUH 1345Music Cultures3
MUH 1370Music Appreciation: Beginnings to the Present3
MUH 5340Survey of World Music3
NE 2000Introduction to Islamic Civilization of the Near East3
NE 3225Modern Israeli Culture: A Pluralistic Perspective3
NE 3550Arab Society in Transition3
NUR 3200Global Healthcare3
NUR 4800Transcultural Health Through the Life Cycle3
PH 2550MENA Public Health3
PHI 2150Chinese Philosophy3
PHI/NE 2170Islamic and Near Eastern Philosophy3
POL 2010Intermediate Polish4
POL 2710Survey of Polish Culture3
RUS 2010Intermediate Russian I4
RUS 2710Introduction to Russian Culture3
SOC 2510People on the Move3
SPA 2010Intermediate Spanish4
SWA 2010Intermediate Swahili4
THR 5751Study Abroad: Moscow Art Theatre School3
US 2200Global Urbanism3

Natural Scientific Inquiry (NSI)

NSI has four program learning outcomes.

After successful completion of the NSI requirement, students will be able to demonstrate their ability to:

  1. Explain natural phenomena using scientific concepts, theories and/or principles.
  2. Describe the process of scientific inquiry.
  3. Analyze historical or contemporary societal subjects using scientific concepts and principles.
  4. Apply the scientific method to evaluate data (For lab courses only).
ANT 2110Introduction to Biological Anthropology3
AST 2010Descriptive Astronomy (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with AST 2011.)4
AST 2030Life in the Universe3
BIO 1030Biology Today (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with BIO 1040.)3
BIO 1050An Introduction to Life (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with BIO 1040.)3
BIO 1500Basic Life Diversity (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with BIO 1501.)3
BIO 1510Basic Life Mechanisms (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with BIO 1511.)3
CHM 1000Chemistry and Your World (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when elected for 4 credits.)4
CHM 1020Survey of General Chemistry (CHM 1020 is a lecture/lab course and satisfies the NSI Lab requirement)4
CHM 1060General, Organic and Biochemistry (CHM 1060 is a lecture/lab course and satisfies the NSI Lab requirement)5
CHM 1100General Chemistry I (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement upon completion of both CHM 1100 and CHM 1130.)4
CHM 1125General Chemistry I for Engineers (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement upon completion of both CHM 1125 and CHM 1130)3
DNC 2180Anatomy of Human Movement3
ESG 1010Geology: The Science of the Earth (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with ESG 1011.)3
ESG 1500Introduction to Environmental Science3
HON 4220Seminar in Life Science3
HON 4230Seminar in Physical Science3
NFS 2030Nutrition and Health (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement upon completion of both NFS 2030 and NFS 2220.)3
PH 2100Introduction to Public Health3
PHY 1020Conceptual Physics: The Basic Science (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with PHY 1021.)3
PHY 2130Physics for the Life Sciences I (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with PHY 2131.)4
PHY 2170University Physics for Scientists I (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with PHY 2171.)4
PHY 2175University Physics for Engineers I4
PHY 3100The Sounds of Music (PHY 3100 is a lecture/lab course and meets the NSI Lab requirement)4
PSY 1010Introductory Psychology (PSY 1010 is a lecture/lab course and meets the NSI Lab requirement)4
PSY 1020Elements of Psychology3
SCE 2100Integrated Science Content PK-6 (Satisfies the NSI Lab requirement when taken concurrently with SCE 2105.)3

Social Inquiry (SI)

SI has three program learning outcomes:

After successful completion of the SI requirement, students will be able to:

  1. Explain the behaviors, practices, institutions, and/or systems that define a society or social group.
  2. Explain concepts or methods in analyzing societies or social groups.
  3. Explain social institutions and social interactions.

*Please note, revised SI Learning Outcomes were approved on 3/24/2023. Previous versions are available in archived editions of the bulletin.

AFS 1010Introduction to African American Studies3
AFS 2210Black Social and Political Thought4
AFS/HIS 3360Black Workers in American History4
ANT 1100Introduction to Anthropology3
ANT 3400Introduction to Medical Anthropology3
ANT/GLS/PH 3410Global Health3
ANT/GLS 3700Globalization: Theories, Practices, Implications3
ASN/HIS 1700East Asia to the 1700s3
ASN/HIS 1710History of Modern East Asia3
CE 2000How Cities Work: An Introduction to Civil and Environmental Infrastructure3
CLA/GKM 3590Byzantine Civilization3
COM 1700Media Literacy3
COM 2200Interpersonal Communication3
CRJ 1010Introduction to Criminal Justice3
ECO 1000Survey of Economics4
ECO 2010Principles of Microeconomics4
ECO 2020Principles of Macroeconomics4
ECO 2550U.S. Health Care: Policy and Economics4
GLS/HIS 2800Introduction to Global Issues and Institutions3
GPH 1100World Regional Patterns4
GPH 3130Introductory Urban Geography4
GPH 3200Europe3
GSW 2700Social Science Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Women3
HIS 1000World Civilization to 15004
HIS 1050History of the Headlines: United States Since World War II3
HIS 1300Europe and the World: 1500-19454
HIS 1400The World Since 19454
HIS 1600African Civilizations to 18003-4
HIS 1610African Civilizations Since 18003-4
HIS/LAS 1900History of Colonial Latin America3
HIS/LAS 1910Latin America from Independence to the Present3
HIS 1995Nature and Societal Transitions3
HIS 2040American Foundations to 18773-4
HIS 2050Modern America: Since 18773-4
HIS 3250The Family in History3-4
HON 2000Foundation Seminar3
KHS 1000Contemporary Issues in Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences3
LAS/HIS 3431Revolutionary Movements in Latin America3
LAS 3610Seminar in Latino/a Urban Problems3
MUA 2400Survey of the Music Business3
NUR 3200Global Healthcare3
PH 3100Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health3
PS 1000Introduction to Political Science3
PS 1010American Government4
PS 1030The American Governmental System3
PS 2240Introduction to Urban Politics and Policy4
SAM 2020History of Sport3
SOC 1010Understanding Human Society3
SOC 1020Social Problems3
SOC 2203Social Psychology3
SOC 2208Sociology of Sport3
SOC 2209Sociology of Religion3
SOC 2300Social Inequality3
SOC 2510People on the Move3
US/GPH/HIS/PS 2000/SOC 2500Introduction to Urban Studies4
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